At Bhejane Nature Training we develop Nature Guides and Conservation Entrepreneurs with a strong character and proud work ethic.
Join us to become a part of the Zululand Conservation Legacy...
Training Venues
Bhejane Nature Training is situated in northern KwaZulu Natal and conduct training courses across a diverse range of habitats in Zululand and along the Maputaland Coast. We are based in an area that is recognized as a global biodiversity hot- spot and contains some of the oldest conservation areas in the whole of Africa. The diversity of the area is the result of varied habitats and biomes coming together in rich tapestry of landscapes.
The Bhejane Base Camp is located on the False Bay border of the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park- a marine and coastal protected area of international importance (a World Heritage Site). The coast- line runs for over a 100km in this park, and is the venue for the Marine Guiding component of the course. False Bay offers some of the most pristine Sand Forest habitats left in South Africa and is well known for its impressive geological history and large quantities of fossilised ammonites and other marine fossils that is still found here.
Ndumo Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Park are just north of the camp. Here students get to experience the gentle giants of the Sand Forest. Tembe is home to the largest remaining tuskers in Africa and always makes for a very special field trip. Ndumo needs no introduction to avid birders.
To the west sits the well known Phinda Private Game Reserve as well as Mkuze Game Reserve. The Fig Forests of Mkuze is just one of the many highlights of this beautiful conservation area.
To the south, we have the Hluhluwe- Umfolozi Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s flagship national parks and home to the largest populations of White and Black Rhino on the African continent. Many of South Africa’s conservation legends were born in this park with its inspiring history.
When Nelson Mandela opened the park in 1999 he said, “[iSimangaliso] must be the only place on the globe where the world’s oldest land mammal (the rhinoceros) and the world’s biggest terrestrial mammal (the elephant) share an ecosystem with the world’s oldest fish (the coelacanth) and the world’s biggest marine mammal (the whale)”.
Facilities
Your home base – Gobandlovu Base Camp
Gobandlovy Base camp is situated on Kuleni Game Reserve. This is your home throughout any of the longer career courses. You will be allocated a room here, and then travel from this camp to other camps for different parts of your course. Gobandlovu has the following facilities:
- Shared accommodation in Wooden Huts or Safari Tents
- Zulu Rangers Activity Centre
- Own Accommodation in Year 2
- Bhejane Admin Office
- WIFI (At central lapa area)
- Student Kitchen and Laundry
- Lecture rooms
- Laundry Service
- Student Library
- Khoffee Khaya Coffee Shop
- Student lounge
- Student Braai Facilities
- Isiphepo Vollyball Court
- Idube mini Soccer Field
Future students are welcome to book a camp visit at any time, we will make a staff member available to show you around, and sit down to answer any questions you may have. Please book your camp visit directly with our office via whatsapp on 082 604 3506 or email
Practical Camps
Bhejane Outpost @ Somkhanda
This is our permanent practical venue, situated on the 13 000ha community owned Somkhanda Game Reserve. The Outpost is a much more rustic camp, and students can prepare to spend 2-3 weeks at a time here while completing either Field Guiding, Trails Guiding, Conservation or Research modules. Accommodation is in single dome tents (Sharing is possible on request). The camp has only solar power. Bathrooms are fitted with Bucket showers and flushing toilets.
In addition to the Outpost, we make use of a variety of other camps especially for Marine Guiding, where we visit camps in Kosi Bay, Sodwana Bay and St. Lucia.
Leisure Time
Full time students on the 1 or 3 year courses are also encouraged to join the local Rugby Team and we try to use every available opportunity to take students through to the Mkuze Country Club for a game of Cricket against other rangers, guides, and volunteers working in this area.
Should you want to do some local exploration over your semester breaks, we are within an hour’s drive of both the Swaziland and Mozambique borders, with the famous dive sites of Sodwana Bay less than 75km away from camp.
